Documentary Reflection

June 26, 2022 By: Tina Ihas

The first example of contemporary environmental activism that comes to mind for me, and I would assume for many British Columbian and Albertan citizens, is the actions of the First Nations peoples of British Columbia in protest of the pipeline. This issue feels close to home for me for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I am a lifetime citizen of the province of British Columbia. I have always felt deeply connected to my home province and, as a result, very concerned not only by such environmental dangers as the pipeline but also by the state of the climate in the province. Second, I am troubled by corporate greed and the lack of foresight in building a project that goes against the environmental plans and values held by our country and every other country in the industrialized world.

It is such a complex issue. However, the most significant issues seem to be the danger the pipeline presents by causing pollution (on many levels), and installation of the pipeline and the resulting destruction to the environment and the complex ecosystems within the environment. The recent winter floods in British Columbia might be considered a wake-up call, alerting us to take more care with our environment and the damage we are continually doing to it, not just for our province or our country but for the world. 

The First Nations people, Greenpeace, and ordinary citizens have worked together to prevent this environmental disaster from proceeding to no avail. The environmental impact will be long-lasting at a time when it is clear we are in the midst of global climate change. Yet, despite the actions of the many activists to stop this project from proceeding and the environmental impacts of the pipeline’s construction, the BC Supreme Court ruled that it would be built.

My overall feeling about this issue is one of concern. I am a worrier by nature, therefore, worry about what will be next. We know that oil and gas are bad for our planet in countless ways and that we must look toward sustainable solutions, but what effects will those sustainable solutions have? It is in our best interest as citizens of the world to always be open to change, no matter the financial impacts on the corporate world. Perhaps the role of civil disobedience in the case of the pipeline has failed. Perhaps it has impacted how ecosystems will be respected during the construction in the environments the pipeline is passing through. After such a long fight, with so many voicing their protest, it seems a small concession to have made

Bibliography

“No Trans Mountain Pipeline.” Wilderness Committee. Accessed June 21, 2022, https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/.

Partridge, Kate. “Wet’suwet’en Camp Leader, Journalists Arrested as RCMP Enforce Pipeline Injunction in Northern B.C.” CBC, November 20, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/15-arrests-journalists-wetsuweten-cgl-1.6256696.

“Trans Mountain pipeline shut down because of severe rain, flooding in B.C.” Global News, November 15 2021. https://globalnews.ca/news/8376173/british-columbia-flooding-rain-trans-mountain-pipeline/.